UFC Fighters Claimed They Were Offered Money To Throw Fights. Then They Changed Their Story. But Were They Joking?

The UFC faces mounting scrutiny following a suspicious betting scenario at UFC Vegas 110, where featherweight Isaac Dulgarian submitted to Yadier del Valle in the first round on November 1, 2025. The incident triggered federal investigation and prompted multiple fighters to publicly claim they had received offers to throw fights, only to retract those statements within hours, leaving observers uncertain about the distinction between candor and comedy in an organization now under FBI examination.

UFC Betting Scandal

The betting irregularities began roughly three hours before the bout. Dulgarian entered the fight as a -240 favorite, but IC360, the UFC’s betting integrity partner, identified substantial wagers placed on del Valle to secure a first-round victory. The odds shifted dramatically, with Dulgarian’s moneyline dropping to approximately -130 as sportsbooks suspended betting on the event entirely. Hours after Dulgarian’s submission loss at the 3:41 mark, both Caesars Sportsbook and William Hill announced they would issue refunds to bettors who had wagered on Dulgarian to win.

Dana White confirmed the UFC received the betting alert at approximately 1 p.m. on fight day. The organization immediately contacted Dulgarian and his legal representation, questioning whether he was injured, indebted to third parties, or had been approached about fight manipulation. Dulgarian denied all inquiries and told UFC officials he intended to defeat del Valle convincingly. Despite this assurance, White contacted the FBI immediately following the first-round finish, initiating what has become the promotion’s second major fight-fixing investigation within three years.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission withheld Dulgarian‘s entire fight purse pending investigation, while the UFC released him from his contract on November 2. The decision reflected concerns beyond Dulgarian’s performance quality. Michael Chiesa, providing analysis for the broadcast, described the featherweight’s showing as an “F- performance” and “absolute trash,” noting his apparent passivity during the submission sequence.

The situation drew comparisons to a 2022 incident involving featherweight Darrick Minner, whose coach James Krause became embroiled in betting conspiracy allegations after Minner submitted to Shayilan Nuerdanbieke in 67 seconds under similarly suspicious betting circumstances. That investigation remains active and will now be incorporated into the current inquiry.

UFC Fighters Say They Have Been Offered Money to Lose

Momentum from the Dulgarian betting scandal accelerated through Monday, November 3, as multiple UFC athletes surfaced with accounts of receiving financial incentives to intentionally lose fights. Vince Morales, an 11-fight UFC veteran, posted on social media that he had been offered $70,000 to throw one of his bouts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bantamweight described the proposition as occurring during fight week at the UFC Apex facility and claimed he did not take the offer seriously at the time.

Lando Vannata, a 13-fight featherweight, stated he had been approached seven times to throw fights, adding that his record reflected his integrity.

Meanwhile, Vanessa Demopoulos, a strawweight competitor with ten UFC appearances, commented on social media that people had approached her regarding fight manipulation, emphasizing her commitment to the sport’s principles.

Within hours of these statements, the narrative shifted. Morales deleted his posts and replied with a new message: “Okay well sorry about all that terrible timing for what I thought was a good joke. Poor taste. This shit so grimy.” Vannata received legal guidance cautioning against discussing the subject matter humorously, subsequently clarifying that he had never been approached about throwing a fight. Demopoulos set her Instagram account to private and retracted her statements, removing the posts entirely.

Dana White Responds

The rapid reversal raises substantive questions about the initial claims. Whether these represented genuine revelations treated as humor or merely ill-timed jokes amplified by genuine scandal remains contested. Dana White addressed the discrepancies directly during his response to the controversy. The UFC president characterized fighters’ claims of receiving approach offers as suspect, noting that if genuinely contacted about illegal arrangements, reporting to law enforcement should occur immediately rather than months or years later.

“It’s like if somebody tells you to rob a bank with them. What, you’re not gonna tell law enforcement? It’s really weird that fighters are coming out and saying they were approached. They’re gonna be approached now by the FBI,” White stated.

Morales, Vannata, and Demopoulos were joking, or were they?